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Character Creation Part Five: Skills
It is better to master a small skill, than to attempt to build a large fortune with nothing. - Kong Tzu (Confucius) Skill Families One major difference between the computer Fallout games and the SPECIAL system introduced here is the inclusion of skill families and slightly different skills. Weapons especially are now organized differently, to reflect a more realistic approach to weapons knowledge – if you are good with a regular pistol, you are equally as good with an Energy pistol, for example. Also, the formulas for determining initial skill levels have been changed to reflect the latest SPECIAL changes. Everything else remains basically the same, with the exception of skills added for a more complete role-playing experience, such as Climbing and Swimming. Tag Skills Every character gets three tag skills to start out with. These skills could best be described as the character's "gifted" areas, or areas of study in youth. Every character must take three tag skills, and only three, no more, no less (unless the character gets an extra tag skill because of a trait). Each tag skill value is immediately doubled after calculation (36% becomes 72%, etc.), and a tag skill grows twice as fast as a normal skill. When you spend skill points on a tag skill, it grows by 2% instead of 1%. Skill List This is a complete description of skills, and how one finds the base skill percentage. Base percentage is figured before ANY other skill adjustments are made - from tag skill adjustments, to traits, to addition of skill points. Skill points are added only after a character goes up a level (see Advancement in Part III). Skills are based entirely upon four statistics – sometimes the same statistic used more than once – and have starting values ranging from 4 to 40. Simple Weapons ---- Simple Weapons skills cover the most basic of attack tools – bare fists, claws, teeth, rocks, sticks, and clubs. It also covers more advanced versions of simple weapons, and the ability to throw weapons and other objects accurately. Factors such as strength levels and the ability to quickly land blows affect Simple Weapons skills. Unarmed This is the skill of beating people up with your fists and feet, from boxing to brawling to the martial arts. The better you are at this skill, the more likely you are going to hit them in combat. This skill also covers the use of weapons that enhance unarmed combat such as brass knuckles, spiked knuckles, and the legendary Power Fist. At higher skill levels, you will learn new techniques of fighting. See the Special Unarmed Attacks section directly below for a guide to the advanced martial arts techniques skilled users can learn. Initial level: Starting Unarmed skill is equal to STR+STR+STR+AG. Special Unarmed Attacks These attacks only become available to the true student of the unarmed arts. The requirement for each attack is listed, along with a description of the attack and the damage incurred. Primary Punch Attacks: Strong Punch * Effects: +3 damage * AP Cost: 3 * Requires: Unarmed 55%, Agility 6 Hammer Punch * Effects: +5 damage, +5% critical chance * AP Cost: 3 * Requires: Unarmed 75%, Agility 6, Strength 5, Level 6 Haymaker * Effects: +7 Damage, +15% critical chance * AP Cost: 3 * Requires: Unarmed 100%, Agility 7, Strength 5, Level 9 Secondary Punch Attacks: Jab * Effects: +3 damage, +10% critical chance * AP Cost: 3 * Requires: Unarmed 75%, Agility 7, Strength 5, Level 5 Palm Strike * Effects: +7 Damage, +20% critical chance, armor piercing (ignores armor class when dealing damage) * AP Cost: 6 * Requires: Unarmed 115%, Agility 7, Strength 5, Level 12 Piercing Strike * Effects: +10 damage, +40% Critical chance, armor piercing * AP Cost: 8 * Requires: Unarmed 130%, Agility 7, Strength 5, Level 16 Primary Kick Attacks: Strong Kick * Effects: +5 damage * AP Cost: 4 * Requires: Unarmed 40%, Agility 6 Snap Kick * Effects: +7 Damage * AP Cost: 4 * Requires: Unarmed 60%, Agility 6, Strength 6, Level 6 Power Kick * Effects: +9 Damage, +5% Critical chance * AP Cost: 4 * Requires: Unarmed 80%, Agility 6, Strength 6, Level 9 Secondary Kick Attacks: Hip Kick * Effects: +7 Damage * AP Cost: 7 * Requires: Unarmed 60%, Agility 7, Strength 6, Level 6 Hook Kick * Effects: +9 Damage, +10% critical chance, armor piercing * AP Cost: 7 * Requires: Unarmed 100%, Agility 7, Strength 6, Level 12 Piercing Kick * Effects: +12 Damage, +50% Critical chance, armor piercing * AP Cost: 9 * Requires: Unarmed 125%, Agility 8, Strength 6, Level 15 Melee Weapons ---- This covers the use of melee weapons – basically, any weapon used in close combat to bludgeon, stab, slash, or wallop a target. Knives, spears, hammers, and crowbars are all melee weapons. Initial Melee Weapons skill is ''STR+STR+STR+AG. Throwing Whenever a character throws an object, this skill gets used. Throwing knives, small rocks, and grenades are throwing weapons. If you miss, the object still has to end up somewhere. It is possible to throw a weapon and have it end up right at your feet. If it's a knife, no big deal. If it's a grenade, that's a really big deal. The maximum distance you can throw a weapon is based on your character's Strength, and the type of weapon thrown. Starting Throwing skill is equal to STR+STR+AG+AG. Ranged Weapons When facing an opponent with a gigantic curved knife, it’s usually better to shoot them from afar rather than run up and see how close you can get. Ranged Weapons cover the art of plinking a target from a distance, whether the method of missile delivery be a hunting bow or a personal grenade launcher. Factors such as speed in combat, eyesight and targeting, understanding complex parts, and dealing with recoil all affect Ranged Weapons skills. Primitive Missile Weapons When the nukes hit, the factories that make ammunition for guns shut down. This means that ammunition can be very hard to come across in the Wastes, not to mention that no one is making guns anymore, and many people, especially Tribals and Raiders, have become quite adept at using bows, crossbows, slings, and other primitive missile weapons. Don’t let the name fool you: an arrow to the head, or a well-placed rock from a sling, can be just as deadly as a sniper’s bullet. Primitive Missile Weapons skill is also used when making or using primitive firearms, such as powder muskets. Initial Primitive Weapons skill is equal to PE+PE+STR+STR. Small Guns This skill covers the use of pistols, sub-machine guns, rifles, and shotguns. The higher your Small Guns skill, the easier it will be for you to hit your target, and the longer the effective range you will have in combat. Initial level: Starting Small Guns skill is equal to PE+PE+AG+AG. Big Guns This is the skill of flamethrowers, miniguns, rocket launchers, heavy machine guns, and other large support weapons. If it's a large weapon, you can count on Big Guns being the skill rolled against. Like Small Guns, the better your skill, the easier it will be to hit your target, and the longer the range of your shot. Initial level: Starting Big Guns skill is equal PE+STR+STR+AG. Energy Weapons The use of energy weapons is not a very common skill in the post-nuclear world. Energy weapons were just coming into actual warfare when the world blew up. Lasers and plasma weapons are covered by the Energy Weapons skill. Basically, if it uses an energy cell or power pack, and not cartridge ammunition, it falls under this skill. Initial level: Starting Energy Weapons skill is equal to PE+PE+AG+IN. Healing ---- ''The ability to protect life can be just as important in Fallout as the ability to take life. These skills represent a character’s medical training as well as basic biological intuition and the ability to properly diagnose causes of illness and wounds that are not immediately apparent. First Aid The skill of minor healing. You will be able to heal minor wounds, cuts, and bruises with this skill. You can only use it three times a day, and it takes a little while to work. You can use it on yourself, or anyone you are feeling particularly nice to at the time. Each use of this skill takes 1d10 minutes and heals 1d10 Hit Points. In addition, a character can use a successful First Aid roll to prevent someone from taking damage from bleeding in combat. You can only use this skill 3 times a day regardless of how it is used. For more information, see Healing in Combat: Damage and Death, below. Initial Level: Starting First Aid skill is equal to IN+IN+IN+PE. Doctor A more advanced form of healing. You can heal serious damage and crippled limbs but not poison or radiation damage. Using this skill on crippled limbs takes a while to perform. Every crippled limb will add to the time required to use the Doctor skill. You can play Doctor with yourself (except if you are Blind), or any other person / critter you choose to be kind to. In addition, a character can prevent hit point loss from bleeding by successfully using the Doctor skill in combat, or restore those lost hit points by using the Doctor skill for 1d10 minutes after combat. You can only use the Doctor skill twice a day, regardless of how it is used. Initial Level: Starting Doctor skill is equal to IN+IN+IN+PE. Thief ---- No one ever said life in the Wastes would be easy. Some characters tend forego hard work in favor of the dishonest route to wealth and fame. The Thief skills cover all the ways a character can pilfer, purloin, and place painful things on her rise to the top. These skills are derived from a character’s ability to move quickly, notice surroundings, and to use brains instead of brawn. Sneak The skill of being able to move quietly or out of sight. When you are sneaking, other people will be less likely to notice you - at a distance. If you get too close to a dangerous creature, now matter how good you are at sneaking, they will notice you. Of course, whether someone notices you is based on what direction they are facing, the amount of light in the area, the amount of cover you have, and a hell of a lot of luck. Such is the life of a thief. Successfully sneaking up on a person means you get a bonus should you want to try to steal from them. Your sneak skill is rolled when you start sneaking, and once a minute while still sneaking. Initial Level: Starting Sneak skill is equal to AG+AG+PE+IN. Lockpick If you need to open locks without the proper key, this is the skill for you. Use it to get what you want, but other people don't want you to have. Having an actual lockpick will improve your chances, but it is not necessary. There are two types of locks in the Fallout world: normal and electronic. Lockpicks work against normal locks, but to even attempt an electronic lock, you need an electronic lockpick. Certain locks can be harder to pick than others, and certain locks require that the picker has a lockpick. Initial Level: Starting Lockpick skill is equal AG+PE+PE+IN. Steal This is the art of removing things from a person or an object without being noticed. Even if you succeed, there is a chance that the critter might notice you. Larger objects are more difficult to steal than smaller objects. The more objects you try to steal, the more likely you are to get noticed. You cannot steal objects a person is using (guns they are holding in their hands, armor they are wearing on their body, etc). If you try to steal from a person, it might be a good idea to stand behind them so they can't see you as well. Initial Level: Starting Steal skill is equal to AG+AG+PE+IN. Traps Not only does the Traps skill involve setting and disarming devices that cause harm to others, but it also covers setting, timing, and handling explosives. The higher your Traps skill, the less likely it is a bomb will blow up in your face, a huge rock will crush your party, and the more likely it is that the timer you just set will go off when you want it to. Initial Level: Starting Traps skill is equal to AG+PE+PE+IN. Technical ---- The Fallout universe is still a fairly technical place. Machines are everywhere, some in working condition, some just pieces of junk, and others waiting for the right repairperson to come along to make them work again. Technical skills cover everything from computers to cars, and the scientific ability to reason logically and solve problems. A character’s ability to examine a problem, solve it using reason, and to manipulate small parts all influence Technical skills. Science Science is the skill of working with electronic devices such as computers. It also covers how intuitive a character is. Characters with a high Science skill will notice things that others might miss, and characters who actively apply their Science skill to tasks can intuit answers to problems. Science skills are used when rolling to use (or break into) computers, determine what part a vehicle might need to run properly again, or to notice a vein of silver in an otherwise unremarkable rock. Science skill can also be used like First Aid to repair robots. Initial Level: Starting Science skill is equal to AG+PE+IN+IN. Repair Repair is the practical application of the Science skill. As things are constantly breaking in the wastes, and there aren't customer service hotlines anymore, a person with a high Repair skill is always good to have around. Repair covers fixing all manner of mechanical things, from guns to vehicles, and can also be used to intentionally sabotage or disable mechanical things. The Repair skill can also be used like Doctor to repair robots. Initial Level: Starting Repair skill is equal to STR+AG+PE+IN. Pilot This skill is how well a character can drive land-based vehicles (from Brahmin-driven carts to tanks), sea-based vehicles (from canoes to oil tankers), and air-based vehicles (from hang-gliders to vertibirds). Initial Level: Starting Pilot skill is equal to AG+AG+EN+PE. Social ---- Social skills cover everything characters use in social situations. While combat may be a fun part of the Fallout world, most of the time characters will deal with NPCs on a more personable level, and a certain amount of social grace and tact will be necessary to successfully interact with most NPCs. The Social skills take into account a character’s witty nature, his general likableness, the ability to read another person, and plain dumb luck when choosing what another person wants to hear. Speech This is the skill of dialogue. The better your Speech skill, the more likely you will be able to get your way when talking to people. When there is a chance that an NPC might take your word, believe your lie, or just follow your instructions, this is the skill that is used. Initial Level: Starting Speech skill is equal CH+CH+IN+PE. Barter The skill of trading. In the post-nuclear world, currency is not always commonly used. Barter will allow you to get more for less when trading equipment, weapons, and other items. A high Barter skill will lower the prices you pay for items you purchase, and increase the money you get for selling excess equipment. A good Barter skill isn't important if you're killing everyone, but it certainly is a valuable skill for the non-berserkers out there. Initial Level: Starting Barter skill is equal to CH+CH+CH+PE. Gambling The Gambling skill covers a knowledge of and adeptness at games of chance. Someone with a high Gambling skill tends to win these games more often, or might notice if the game is dirty or rigged. Initial Level: Starting Gambling skill is equal to LK+LK+IN+PE. Survival ---- Everyone has a built-in survival instinct, but how well those skills are honed is another story. Survival skills cover everything your character learned at summer camp: how to hunt, fish, build shelters, and survive in adverse and unusual conditions. They also include swimming and climbing, two of the most important skills when a character is out in the wilderness and cannot, for whatever reason, travel by road. A character’s stamina, resourcefulness, and pure physical prowess all contribute to his Survival skills. Outdoorsman This is the skill of outdoor living and survival in hostile environments. Basically, what they teach in Boy Scouts and Girl Scouts, modified for the post-nuclear world. Outdoorsman has many uses, from finding food and water in the middle of a vast wasteland to avoiding hostile creatures to knowledge about what plants and animals will help you or kill you. It's always good to have someone in the party who's an avid outdoorsman. Initial Level: Starting Outdoorsman skill is equal to IN+IN+EN+STR. Climbing As you might expect, the Climbing skill measures how well a character can climb. This includes not only finding purchases on sheer rock walls, but also covers avoiding falling when high above ground, either in combat or otherwise. If you plan on doing most of your fighting on top of buildings, Climbing is an important skill to learn. Initial Level: Starting Climb skill is equal to EN+EN+STR+STR. Swimming Naturally, the Swimming skill measures how well a character can swim. Swimming includes distance swimming, diving, and swimming underwater. Since the majority of the planet is still underwater, chances are your character will eventually encounter some of the wet stuff, and Swimming will be important when she does. Initial Level: Starting Swimming skill is equal to EN+EN+STR+IN. Examples: Assigning Tag Skills and Calculating Skills Jack and Jane first of all assign Harry and Maverick three tag skills. Jack decides that Harry will be extra-skilled in Unarmed Combat and Throwing. Jack considers that Harry might get into some long-ranged combat situations, so he gives Harry some Big Guns skills. Jane's diplomat needs Speech and Barter, and she decides that Maverick will be a good Gambler, too, so she tags that skill as well. When the skills were all calculated, this is how the characters measured up to each other. Harry - Small Guns 37%, Big Guns (tag) 36%, Energy Weapons 16%, Unarmed Combat (tag) 80%, Melee Weapons 50%, Throwing (tag) 52%, First Aid 26%, Doctor 15%, Sneak 29%, Lockpick 23%, Steal 24%, Traps 23%, Science 20%, Repair 15%, Pilot 26%, Speech 26%, Barter 16%, Gambling 24%, Outdoorsman 20%. Maverick - Small Guns 25%, Big Guns 10%, Energy Weapons 10%, Unarmed Combat 48%, Melee Weapons 38%, Throwing 20%, First Aid 22%, Doctor 16%, Sneak 20%, Lockpick 21%, Steal 15%, Traps 21%, Science 28%, Repair 21%, Pilot 22%, Speech (tag) 55%, Barter (tag) 48%, Gambling (tag) 48%, Outdoorsman 22%. Category:Chapter II: Character Creation